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Iran says intends to reach comprehensive plan with Europe

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi on Sunday said that Iran intends to reach a comprehensive plan with the opposite side through a precise study on the proposals recently offered to Tehran by Group 5+1.

The European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana on June 6 handed over a new package of incentives approved by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- China, Russia, Britain, France and the United States -- plus Germany (Group 5+1) in exchange for Iran's suspension of uranium enrichment, reports Trend.

Asefi told domestic and foreign reporters at his weekly press conference, "The Islamic Republic of Iran will announce its response in due time. It is not after prolonging the issue or buying time." He refused to speak about the content of the package of incentives proposed by Group 5+1 but just talked about its main points.

He said, "No deadline has been set for Iran's response to the package. Europe and the US, themselves, announced they had set no deadline for Iran.

"They have just said Iran has weeks to receive the package of incentives which will not be tantamount to a deadline.

"Even if the US officials expressed their views in this regard, it is their own viewpoints."

He added, "Iran has begun reviewing the package since it received the package.

"The package can be mainly divided into acceptable and ambiguous points, those which should be further emphasized and those which should not be included in the package."

The spokesman stressed, "Negotiations should be resumed earlier (than now) and should not be suspended."

In response to a question whether Iran would present a new proposed package to the opposite side following recent remark by Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on "shuttle diplomacy", Asefi said, "The issue raised by Mottaki was transparent. We have received a package and should express our view about it."

He stressed the importance of continuing nuclear talks, the issue which has been also emphasized by Solana.